Massachusetts Farmland Preservation Safeguards New England’s Diminishing Agriculture Lands
In partnership with: Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
Farmland across Massachusetts is under threat, leading to new measures addressing issues from farmland’s high cost to farm viability and continuing land production. The Massachusetts Farmland Action Plan, an initiative led by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, is a comprehensive report outlining the current threats to farmland and proposing solutions to benefit the local farms.
See more: Massachusetts Farmers Market Programs Help Combat Food Insecurity
A History of Preservation
Massachusetts has a long history of land protection, with one of the oldest land trust movements in the U.S. However, Massachusetts currently ranks third in the country in terms of the percentage of its agricultural land projected to be lost. The American Farmland Trust estimates a 15% loss of farmland – nearly 74,000 acres – by 2040 if no further steps are taken.
The Farmland Action Plan is a part of the continuing effort to preserve farmland for the future and make it more accessible.
“The Farmland Action Plan was an effort to address the loss of agricultural land but also to look at issues like access to agricultural land, particularly for communities that have been historically underserved,” says Gerard Kennedy, director of MDAR’s Division of Agricultural Conservation and Technical Assistance.
The Farmland Action Plan, which spans from 2023 to 2050, sets goals in three areas: protection, access and viability. For beginning farmers or historically underserved farmers, including people of color and veterans, affordable and secure access to farmland can be a major barrier to entry into the industry.
With 40% of the state’s farmers over the age of 65, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, the Farmland Action Plan makes access to land for younger growers a priority. Programs like Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture (MEGA) assist beginning farmers by providing funds for capital improvements, helping with technical assistance and developing business plans for farm viability.
See more: A Brief History of Massachusetts Agriculture
Local Impact
Part of preserving farmland means making farm businesses and the land itself viable for the future. The Agricultural Preservation Restriction Program permanently protects farmland by restricting land use to purely agricultural purposes while compensating landowners for the value of development rights. The program has protected about 1,000 properties totaling more than 75,000 acres during its 40-year history.
It isn’t just farmers who benefit from the protection of farmland. Local farms can have an impact on health. Protecting farmland is only the first step in protecting food security. The plan also prioritizes implementing regenerative and sustainable practices, ensuring land remains viable for years to come.
“Saving farms has so many other benefits,” Jamie Pottern, American Farmland Trust New England program manager. “It supports the local economy. It creates beautiful open space and protects wildlife habitat. It is part of the culture of our communities and our history.”
See more: Massachusetts Focuses On Climate Smart Farming Efforts
Lasting Legacies
An aging farmer population makes succession of utmost importance. For farmers like Erik Lively, owner of Sunrise Farms in Colrain, protecting the land that has been in his family for centuries is both an honor and a great responsibility.
“My daughters – who help me tap trees – they’re tapping trees that their great-great-great grandfather tapped,” says Lively, a fifth-generation farmer.
MDAR’s Farm Viability Enhancement and Farm-Pass programs assist businesses, like Sunrise Farms, with farm transfer planning so farmers can have more certainty about what will happen to their farms in the future. For many family farms, this generational legacy is not only a livelihood but a source of pride.
“It’s a lot of pride and joy knowing that my brother and I are continuing the farm and, hopefully, that one of our kids would like to continue the farm,” Lively says.
See more: Massachusetts Farmland Preservation Programs Ensure a Future for Agriculture